Robert f



(No Model.)

R. F. GAYLORD.

ALARM CLOCK.

No. 397,850. Patented Feb. 12, 1889.

N. PUERS. Photo-Lithographer, Washmglom D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()EEICE.

ROBERT F. GAYLORD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO JAMES GIYATKINS, OF SAME PLACE.

ALARM- CLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 397,850, dated February 12, 1889.

Application filed April 17, 1888. Serial No. 270,954. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT F. GAYLORD, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State vented certain new and useful Improvements in Alarm-Clocks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to the common or household alarm-clock-that is, to a clock provided with an alarm mechanism adapted to be wound up and set to run down at any predetermined time, at the pleasure of the user. It is a well-known experience with those persons that often use these alarmclocks to waken them at a set hour, or for other like purposes, (and there are many that use such clocks daily,) that they become so accustomed to the sound of the alarm that it often fails to wakcn them or attract their attention. It is also equally well understood that with many that use such alarms to waken them at a particular time the temptation to continue sleeping, although once wakened, is one that when yielded to is likely to produce various inconveniences and loss of important time.

It is the object of the present invention, therefore, to construct the alarm mechanism so that it shall be repeating-that is, so that when it is once sprung it shall give various calls or alarms at short intervals during the time deemed necessary for the alarm to effect its purpose.

The invention consists, therefore, in an alarm-clock, of a spring-pawl or similar device carried on one of the arbors of the alarm mechanism, such pawl being arranged to engage with a pinion on an arbor of the time mechanisn1,by which means the alarm mechanism, when sprung atthe set time, will be alternatelyarrested by the pawl engaging the pinion, and released as the pinion is turned by the time mechanism until the alarm-spring has run down.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows the rear face-plate of the frame of a common formof alarm clock, this view showing in full the parts that are added and which embody the invention. Fig. 2 is a like of New York, have inview of the parts embodying the invention, but with such parts in a different position from that of Fig. 1.

A is the case of a common form of springbalance transportable alarm-clock, the back of the case being removed to expose the rear side of the works. B is the rear plate of the works. C is themainspring of the time mechism; D, the spring-balance, and E the arbor that carries the minute-hand. F and G are the spring and winding-arbor of the alarm mechanism. H is the hammer thereof, and I is a milled head on this end of the staff that carries the set pointer by which the time for the alarm to go off or sound is determined; and there is, of course, the common form of alarmlock connected with staff I and the time-train by which the alarm is held from soundingmitil such time as corresponds to the position of the alarm-pointer. These parts are all of the common and well-known form and arrangement, and do not, therefore, require further explanation.

J is a gear-wheel fixed to the winding-arbor G of the alarm-spring and turning therewith. This gear meshes with the intermediate gear, K, which is mounted upon the frame B and carries the spring pawl L. This pawl is adapted to engage the small ratchet-wheel M, fixed to and turning with the min ute-hand arbor E, when it is moving in the direction of its arrow, but which yields to pass over the teeth of such detent wheel when the pawl gear is turned in the opposite direction.

The operation is as follows: The alarm mechanism is wound up (in this particular case by the winding-arbor being turned to the right) and set to run down in the usual way. This causes the gears J and K to revolve in the direction opposite to their arrows, the spring of the pawl L readily yielding to permit the pawl to pass the teeth of the detent M. In this particular mechanism four turns of the winding-arbor are necessary to fully wind the spring, and when ih us fully wound the pawl will be at a point just below or past the detent-wheel on the minute-haiul arbor.

Now upon the alarm being sprung at the time for which the alarm was set, and by the usual releasing device, the alarm will sound until the spring-pawl comes in contact with the detent wheel, when the alarm mechanism will be stopped until the minute-hand arbor has turned sufficiently to free the pawl, whereupon the alarm will again act for a single turn of the gear-wheel carrying the pawl, these repetitions thus occurring three times for the time the alarm is running down.

The detent-wheel has twelve teeth, and the interval between the alarms will therefore be about five minutes, and four alarms will be sounded within about fifteen minutes. It is believed that this number of alarms should ordinarily suflice, but a fewer number may be had by not fully winding the alarm-spring, or a greater number may be had by arranging the gear-wheels connected with the alarm mechanism so that the spring-pawl shall revolve faster than the springarbor of the alarm, while increasing or diminishing the number of teeth on the minute-hand arbor will shorten or lengthen the interval between the alarms.

\Vhen the spring-arbor of the alarm turns to wind up the spring to theleft instead of to the right, the spring-pawl may be mounted directly thereon and the intervening gears may be dispensed with, which gears in the present case are but to reverse the left-hand motion of this arbor and cause the pawl to revolve oppositely to and therefore act upon the minute-hand arbor in the same direction as the direction of its normal revolution. This is essential, because if the power of the alarm-spring were opposed to the time-mechanism spring it would most likely stop the time-train, or at least would cause the clock to lose time.

The spring-pawl may, of course, be made and arranged in other ways, but it is important that it be carried on or operated by the alarm mechanism and arranged to engage with the time-train when revolving in one direction, and to slip by or fail to engage the train when revolving in the other direction, or when the alarm is being or is wound up.

I am aware that clocks have been constructed with alarms or call mechanisms designed to sound at regular intervals of time such as advertising-clocks, electric clocks, and others acting similarly; and I do not, therefore, claim such as my invention.

My invention has its application in that form of clock where, as heretofore constructed, but a single alarm is used, and that being designed to expend itself when once set off, the present invention being applied to such mechanism to cause the alarm, when once released by the time-train, to so run down as to give two or more alarms, where heretofore it gave but one.

lVhat is claimed as new is 1. In an alarm-clock, the combination of the time mechanism, the alarm mechanism, and a spring-pawl carried upon or attached to the alarm mechanism and arranged to engage an oppositely-revolvingpart of the time-train, substantially as set forth, whereby the alarm is alternately arrested and released as it runs down.

27 In an alarm-clock, the combination of the arbor E, carrying the detent-wheel M, and the arbor G, connected with and revolving the spring-pawl L, the said pawl being arranged to engage the said detent-wheel, as and for the purpose set forth.

In combination, the arbors E and G, the gears J and K, the spring-pawl L, and the detent-wheel, arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

ROBT. F. GAYLORD.

Witnesses:

ALLAN W. PAIGE, S. L WARNER. 

